Page 50 of Hell on Wheels

Tilting my head up, I glare as my eyes adjust to the pitch blackness. “Sure. That’s why we’re in the serial killer playground with no lights.”

Chuckles are my only answer, and I wrinkle my nose. I’m going to be bruising some kidneys soon. They can still make my brains melt with broken ribs, right? I’m sure they can. Shifters and demons heal quickly and the two of them enjoy a little pain with their pleasure.

“I’m not sure broken bones are quite what we have in mind,mi alma,” Javi replies.

Are they reading my mind without permission? I will kick their?—

“You said it out loud.” Damon’s voice comes from the front of the group and I frown, feeling irritated that they know me this well. They never used to act like they could read me like a book.

Dicks.

“Calm down, Princess. We’re almost there.” Angelo pauses and waits for me to catch up with him, then threads my arm through his. I give him a quizzical expression, but he pats my hand. “It’s best if you appear connected to us when we meet with Guillermo.”

“Iamconnected with you fools,” I mutter. “I don’t know how much more connected we could get, in fact.”

Damon flanks my other side as we stop at the huge double doors with a big knocker on it. This end of the building is dusty and full of cobwebs, making me sputter as I try to move away. “No, no. Don’t do that. Trust me.”

“Why the hell not?”

Archie leans forward and whispers in my ear again. “You’ll offend Guillermo.”

“Offend him? Maybe he should hire a fucking maid! This place is disgus?—”

Damon’s hand goes over my mouth as Angelo uses the knocker to echo the rhythm from before. The enormous iron doors swing open slowly, a loud creaking noise echoing through the hall ominously. He winks at me, lifting his hand with a stern look, and I close my mouth. Whatever the hell is going on here, I’m in the dark, both literally and figuratively. I’ll have to follow their lead.

For someone who typically leads the pack, that’s hard as hell, by the way.

Then I see it and have to bite the living shit out of my tongue, swallowing the blood as my wide eyes take in the sight without making a sound. It occurs to me that they’ve been trying to keep me calm and quiet as we headed to this area and I’m going to have to suppress the urge to scream like a banshee on fire. I assume if I do, something bad will happen and I don’t want to be responsible for it.

But there’s a ten foot tall fucking spider dude towering over us like it’s no big deal!

“Salvete, ivenes Gemini?2.”

The monstrous shifter’s legs and mandibles click, making my entire body freeze in fear, but I say nothing. Clearly, the Gemini mafia’s personal tailor is a giant motherloving brown recluse shifter who prefers staying half-shifted while he works. Guillermo, as they called him, is terrifyingly large, speaking in Latin, and looking at us like he wants to welcome us to his lair.

Being the closest one here to a fly, I find that very disconcerting. So I wait for Angelo or Damon todo something, but they wait silently. Finally, the spider dude makes a weird sound that might be a sigh and skitters over to a few lamps to bring more light into the room.

“Thank you, Guillermo. English will do today; not all our friends speak Latin fluently,” Angelo replies smoothly.

Is he playing chicken with a giant monster over lighting? What the hell?

“I am always of service to your father and your family.” The creepy dude bends a little, mocking a bow with the human half of his body. “Who is this fair maiden? Have you and your shadow finally decided to take a wife?”

Damon snorts and shakes his head. “I keep telling you, Gui, we’re too young for that. Rogue is Rebel’s sister.”

“Ahhhh, the impetuous Fae. And where is your menacing compatriot today?” Guillermo’s legs are entrancing as he makes his way across the floor of the vast room. He grabs several pieces of cloth that appear to be jacket mock-ups as he waits for the boys to respond and I feel the hairs on my arms stand up.

Archie grins, turning to give the eight-legged tailor his back as if he knows what’s coming. “Reb’s out in his car, risking his life to work off frustration. He’ll be here soon. We all have to go to the meeting this time.”

“Allof you?” the tailor clicks as he drapes the form over my muscled hockey player’s shoulders.

“Not just D and I,” Angelo sighs. “That’s why we’re here. We don’t have long to get this done.”

“I sleep little,” Guillermo responds with a shrug. “And I have completed your father’s tux. You and your friends will move up the line according to your status. Others may have to wait.”

I frown. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean someone will get killed for not having the right attire because we’re jumping the wait list. “If they have to wear tuxes, I want them to have bow ties and vests. I have a picture of the gown so they can all be different but match.”

The spider turns, fixing all of his eyes on me as a look Ithinkis his scary ass version of a smile comes over his features. “Most excellent. I will ensure they are dressed to the nines, sister of Rebel.”